Heaven in Hell
by Scarlet Eaton
Summary: This is a Divergent fan-fiction about Eric and Tris. It may seem weird cause it's ERIC but I don't care, I'm proud of it. It does include Four so... First chapter time frame thingy starts right after Four throws the knives at Tris. He storms out and then, Da da da da, Eric come and... well you'll have to read to find out ;) R&R Please! Cover photo drawn by TheCarmiBug on Deviantart
1. Chapter 1

Eric's POV

I walk into the training room and find her slumped against the wall, her head down so she isn't looking at me. Her blonde hair cloaking the side of her face to act as a shield. She doesn't look up at me but she knows I'm there, her body tenses. I start to walk toward her slowly.

"Tris..." I say gently.

Her eyes flick up to mine and I can see various emotions cross her face. Fear, curiosity, disappointment, sadness, and something else I can't quite grasp... a longing? Maybe? For what I don't know.

"Are you okay?" I stand about a foot away from her now. She completely looks at me, the look of curiosity back with a little bit of shock mixed in and tears swimming in her eyes. But she won't cry. She's Tris, and Tris doesn't cry.

"I'll live." She says cautiously. I smile a little at her. "Why do you care?"She stands a little straighter and comes off of the wall. My smile turns down a little. She doesn't think I care.

"Well, I could stand here and blabber on and try to make you understand, but I heard somewhere that actions speak more than words so..." I walk up to her and look directly into her stormy blue eyes and push her back against the wall, my hands on her waist. She looks at me with shock and uncertainty. "Tris." I whisper before my lips collide with her's.

She's hesitant at first and probably shocked with my actions but, to my surprise and delight, she kisses me back. She wraps her arms around my neck pulling me closer and I tighten my hold on her waist, deepening the kiss. When we pull apart for air she lets out a little sigh. I take one hand from her waist to cradle the side of her face. We stare directly into each other's eyes. I lean forward and brush my lips against hers then make my way down her neck and jawline. She tilts her head back and lets out a small little moan. I nuzzle my head in the crook of her neck and move my hand from her waist to the small of her back., pushing her closer to me.

"So..." she sighs, "you like me?"

"You've gathered that, huh?" I ask a little muffled by her shoulder. I feel a laugh come from her chest.

"So the question is..." I pull back enough to look at her. "How do you feel about me?"

She searches my eyes for something before cupping the back of my neck with her hand pulling me closer. This time, it's her that kisses me. I kiss back just in time for her to pull away."Does that answer your question?" She asks cocking her head to the side.

"Yes, yes it does." I smile down at her then sigh, "Unfortunately, I have to be somewhere right now." She looks a little disappointed but leans in close and whispers in my ear, "We'll pick this up later?"

I nod in response and sadly let her go to start toward my meeting with Max.

_This should be fun._

**Hey! So, this is my first Divergent fan fiction and I REALLY want to know what you all think. Reviews are VERY important to me, just one word can make my day. So, I can't stress this enough, PLEASE REVIEW! Creative criticism is very much welcome. **


	2. Chapter 2

Eric's POV

I walk down the hall towards my office, Max should be waiting there. He probably wants to know if there are any leads on the divergent yet. Sure enough, when I get to my office I find Max shuffling through my drawers for something. I look at him quizzically.

"Got any gum?" He asks.

"No, why?" I ask shooing him away from behind my desk.

" 'Cause I want gum." He retorts.

"Was that the reason you wanted to see me?" I ask pinching the bridge of my nose. I swear, I'm surrounded by idiots.

"No," he sighs sitting in the chair on the other side of my desk. "I wanted to know if you had found any evidence consistent to the divergent."

"No, not yet. But it's only stage one, the real evidence shows up in stage two. And if we have any doubts, hopefully they will be resolved in the third stage."

"Huh, Yeah. Well, any progress with Four?"

This infuriates me. I hate the idea of him being a leader. He'll always go against what I say, (not that he doesn't do that already), and I won't get anything done. I won't be respected or listened to. I will have been replaced.

"He's not budging, Max . He doesn't want the job so why do you keep offering it?" I ask without hiding the malice in my voice.

He stands up from his chair to leave, but before he does he says: "Just incase he changes his mind." And with that, he strides out of my office.

I breath a sigh of relief. I'm not positive, but I have my suspicions about Tris being divergent.

God I hope I'm wrong.

Tris' POV

After mine and Eric's moment in the training room, I decide to just walk around for awhile. My appetite gone, I'll eat at dinner. I wander around until I stumble upon the net I jumped into for my second Dauntless test. My first being to jump on and off the train alive. I lay on it and collect my thoughts, but every thought I have leads me back to Eric. Was he just using me? Does he actually like me? Was the kiss just a torture tool just to throw me off my game? Lose my focus for initiation and not make it into Dauntless? What if everything he did or said was all a lie?

These thoughts infuriate me and all I want to do is punch Eric square in the jaw.

_But what if he actually likes me?_ This thought calms me down a little.

I need to get this resolved as soon as possible. Today, I have to think of a strategy for when I confront him and where. I go back to the dorm room to lie down for a while. I've nothing better to do and I can't confront Eric yet, so I sleep.

XxXxPage BreakxXxX

Christina wakes me up later, roughly I might add, to go to dinner. The usual questions are asked.

"Where were you at lunch?" Chris asked, followed by a curious glance from Will and a concerned glance from Al.

"I wasn't hungry, so I wandered around the compound for a while." I reassure them. Hopefully convincing enough that I don't have to go into detail.

"Pfft. Long walk." She muttered.

"I got lost."

Will gives me a look that says 'Eh, wahda ya gonna do?'. When we get to the cafeteria we get our food and sit at our usual table. I don't listen in on the conversations, I'm too busy thinking of my strategy. I get done with my dinner early so I go back to the dormitory. Tomorrow, I will have to fight again and I want to be well rested for it.

** Chapter two... How are you liking it so far? R&R Please!?**


	3. Chapter 3

Eric's POV

It's been two days since I kissed Tris. Since _Tris_ kissed _me_. I lay on my bed in my apartment thinking about her lips on mine. My hands tracing her small, delicate figure, her warm embrace.

Tris...

_'Stop it you perv!'_ I theoretically yell to myself. I can't think of her like that, not while I'm still her instructor. I can't believe I'm thinking of her like that at all. I've only known her for a little over a week, maybe two, but she's already taking over my thoughts and changed me in so many ways. Even my friend Johnny, (Yeah, 'friend', I have one of those, too.) pointed out that I seemed happier.

Now that I'm thinking of her, I miss her. I wonder if she'll stop by? Today is her day off from training until stage two so it's a possibility. I decide to make myself presentable if she does come. I take a quick shower and dry my hair then rummage through my closet to find something nice to wear. I decide on a nice dark grey, buttondown shirt and my best pair of black jeans. Soon after I get dressed, I hear a knock at my door and my heart leaps with joy.

_Please be Tris, please be Tris, please be Tris._

It's Tris.

"Hey," she says with a small weary smile.

"Hi." God, I hope I don't sound too eager.

"Were you expecting someone?" She asks pointing to my cloths. "If this is a bad time, I can come back later." She turns to walk away.

"No!" I say grabbing her wrist, pulling her into my apartment and shutting the door. Tris looks startled. (Gee, I wonder why, !) "No, I... It... It's not a bad time. I was..."

I sigh. "I kind of anticipated your visit."

"Oh." She says in realization.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you but could you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Just stay right here." My words are rushed out right before my lips collide with hers. She kisses back passionately and entwines her fingers in my hair. I wrap my arms around her to pull her closer and moan into the kiss. I pull away and press my forehead to hers. "You don't know how long I've waited to do that." I laugh.

I speak to her and hold her as if I haven't seen her in over a year but in truth, during the past two days we had acknowledged each other in various small ways. Winking, nodding our heads, stealing meaningful looks from each other when no one was looking.

A smile creeps across Tris' face, "It doesn't matter, just do it again."

I obliged her request and kiss her again. We're back in the same position we were just in, her hands tangled in my hair, mine on her waist. I push her back against the door and move my hands down to her thighs to hoist her up. She wraps her legs around my waist, keeping my hands on her thighs to keep her in place. I part my lips slightly to brush my tongue against her bottom lip, asking for entrance. She hesitates at first but parts her lips and thrusts her tongue out to meet mine. She tastes of mint and wind. Safe. Free.

_Tris is a damn good kisser, for a former stiff who has had no practice whatsoever._

_Tris..._

Her lips, along with her body are soft and warm. All control is lost and we're both just devouring each other. I tighten my hold on her and carry her to my bed, laying her down so I'm on top of her. She unwinds her legs and puts both hands on my chest, pushing me away while retracing her mouth from mine. Her breaths come out as shallow pants.

"Eric..."she says shaking her head. "No. I... I'm sorry, I..." She averts her eyes, her face red with embarrassed blush. I place my hand gently on her warm cheek, turning her gaze to mine.

"It's okay, I understand. I'm not going to push you to do something you don't want to do." She nods in response. I sit up, rolling over to the other side of the bed to give her space. She sits up and looks over in my direction, but doesn't make eye contact.

"Um, do you want me to leave or..." she trails off. I wrap my arms around her protectively and whisper into her hair.

"Stay, please. I... I want to know more about you." Actually I just don't want her to go. Her presence, it's like a ray of sunshine, always pleasant and welcoming. Being with her, I feel a new power never felt before. I feel braver, stronger, and greater when she is around.

She pulls away and nods again. I let go of her and lay back on the bed getting comfortable. When I am, I motion for her to start but instead she giggles and nuzzles herself next to me, her head on my chest. I put one arm behind my head and my free one around her.

"Well," she begins, I start to play with her hair. "What do you want to know?"

_Everything._

"What was your family like?" I ask. She takes a deep breath.

"My mother worked with the factionless. Gave them food, water, clothes, things like that for survival. I used to help her when I was little. She was Dauntless, you know?"

"Was she really? Well maybe look her up in the old Dauntless records."

"You would do that?" she asks sitting up to look at me.

"For you, of course." I respond with as grin. She smiles, too and leans down to kiss me firmly on the lips.

"Thank you." She whispers when we pull away.

"Anything to make you happy." I reply. Her smile widens and she blushes, _God, she's cute when she blushes_, sitting back in our original position and starts to reveal herself to me once again.

"My father is one of the Abnegation leaders, and my brother transferred to Erudite."

_My old faction._

"Not much left to tell, thats it. What was your Erudite life like?"

"How did you know I transferred from Erudite?"

"Oh, well... um, I... I kind of asked about you the first day I came here. Four said you came from Erudite." I'm a little flattered that she asked about me the first day, but she blushes again.

"What else did he tell you?"

She shrugs, "Told us that you two were in the same transfer class together, that you Dauntless leader, and that age doesn't matter here."

Why would he tell her that age doesn't matter? Probably trying to make himself more eligible to her. Wait.

"Us?"

"Christina and myself."

"Oh, yeah." I remember seeing her the first day when I went to go talk to Four. I remember being introduced to Tris, I remember my 'Stiff' comment that I now regret.

She _will_ last. She has to.

***So, this chapter was a bit longer than the others which I'm happy about, I'd like to write longer chapters but I guess we'll just have to wait and see how that turns out. I'd really like to see what you guys think about this so far so please R&R! And I'm sorry if the characters are a little OOC but I'm trying my best. I also apologize if you think their relation ship is moving a little too fast, I just didn't really know how else to write this. I'll try to slow it down a bit. Thanks so much again! Til next time!**


	4. Chapter 4

***Mystery POV! Wonder who it is? Let's go find out!**

Eric's POV

For the rest of the time I tell Tris about my boring ass Erudite life. Nothing happened there, just stupid studying, reading, and experimenting. My life was boring as hell. After that we share short, little childhood stories with each other. We talk about anything, everything, and nothing at all, just enjoying each other's company. Which somehow lead to more hardcore making out. (Which I'm not complaining about.) Respecting Tris' wishes, I didn't let us go anywhere with that. In the end, I was shirtless and Tris was in my arms.

"Do you always have to wear a shirt in the compound?" she asks, walking her fingers along my faint abs, giving a small flirtatious smile.

"Gotta keep up my leader's reputation. Plus I can't work when all of the girls in the compound are always hanging off of me." I say cockily.

Tris rolls her eyes and I give a dark chuckle. Judging by the sigh she gives, it seems that she's content being here. With me.

I don't know what power in the world possesses me to do this act and I'm not happy at all at what I did, but I did it. I look at the clock.

"Dammit." I mutter under my breath.

"What's wrong?" Tris asks concerned.

"I've gotta get you back to the dormitory."

"Oh," she says gloomily, "I don't want to go!" She wraps her scrawny arm around my waist, holding me tight against her, and nuzzles her head into my chest. I can't help but smile.

"I know, but won't your friends get a little suspicious not knowing where you are?"

"What am I going to tell them this time?" she asks a little worried, pulling back to look at me.

"Tell them I needed to see you in my office. If they ask what for, tell them it was confidential." She nods and walks toward the door. "Tris, wait," she turns around, "before you go," I get up, walk to the bathroom, and come back out with a comb. "You might want to run that through your hair." I say tossing her the comb.

She smiles at me thankfully and starts to brush out her hair.

"Oh, and one more thing,"

She tosses the comb onto my bed. "And that is?" she asks cocking her head to the side.

I stride toward her and snake my arm around her waist and kiss her passionately. We pull away slowly to savor the moment. What's wrong with us? It's not like we're never going to do that again in our lifetime. Right? I drop my arm and let her go.

"Bye." she says before shutting the door.

"See you tomorrow." I call back.

And with that, she is gone.

Tris' POV

I walk out of Eric's apartment into a, thankfully, empty hallway and lean against the wall. He likes me. He actually, genuinely, honestly_ likes_ me! I feel all giddy inside!

My 'master plan' was just to talk to him and look for any indication that he was just playing with me, and he wasn't. The way he spoke to me, the way he held me, the way he _kissed_ me. He likes me, and it isn't just some sick joke.

And I like him.

I'm oblivious to the world around me until I hear someone clear their throat to announce their presence. I break out of my daze and lookup to see Four standing right in front of me.

"Oh, um..." I stammer straightening up.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the dormitory?"

"I was just heading there, actually."

"Really? 'Cause it looked like you were only half conscious just now. Is everything alright?" He has a look of curiosity and concern in his eyes.

"I'm fine, Four. Don't worry."

"Maybe you were cut out for Candor, Tris, because you're a terrible liar." he says with a boyish grin on his face striding towards me. He seems so comfortable around me. I wonder why?

"Come on," he jerks his head to the side, "I'll walk you back."

I smile at him and walk slowly beside him to the dorm.

"Did you know where you were, or were you lost?"

"What makes you think I was lost?"

"It just seems like something you would do." he shrugs.

I narrow my eyes at him and he lets out a small laugh and smiles at me. I can't help but smile back, there's just something about him that makes you want to smile.

"No I wasn't lost. Just collecting my thoughts."

"Ah." he says this like he doesn't believe me.

I roll my eyes at him,.

We don't talk much for the rest of the way until he wishes me luck in stage two and a good night. I do the same and thank him.

Luckily, I don't have to deal with my friends questioning just yet. Christina and Will are in a corner of the room playing a card game and don't notice when I walk in. Al is on his bunk staring into space looking distant. I wonder if this is what I looked to Four?

"Hey, Al." I say approaching his bed. "You okay? You look a little glum."

"Yeah, just... initiation getting to me, thats all." he says with a weary smile.

"Hmm. Well just hang in there, it's almost over." I rub my hand against his arm to comfort him.

"Thanks, Tris." He smiles at me.

"Night, Al."

"G'night."

I send a reassuring smile at him one more time before head off to my bunk and falling into a, for once, dreamless sleep.

Four's POV

Why the Hell was Tris by Eric's apartment? And what was with that smile on her face, or the look in her eyes? And was it just me or were her lips a bit swollen? I have my suspicions, but I hope to God I'm wrong. I have to show her how I feel soon... or else. I hope I'm not too late.

***REVIEW!**


	5. Chapter 5

Eric's Pov

Four's an idiot if he thinks I wouldn't notice his favoritism towards Tris. I see him always staring at her in a protective, secretive, stolen way. But I know that there is nothing going on between them because Tris doesn't even notice. When she does catch him staring at her, he immediately looks away and Tris look at him quizzically then turns her gaze to me and gives me a small smile.

Then there's the fact that he ranked her a six for stage one. Four was in charge of ranking for stage one since I had other business to attend to. (Freaking paperwork. Thanks a lot, Max!) Sure she beat the shit out of Molly and won her fight against Myra but still, a six? I asked him about it and all he said was that she deserved it.

Although I am kind of thankful that he's looking out for her. This way, I can assure she will become Dauntless (not that I had any doubts), and that she will be safer with two bodyguards at her side. As long as he doesn't make a move on my Tris.

Wait. Did I just say _my_ Tris?

Actually, I like the thought of her being mine. Mine, and nobody else's.

Tris' POV

Nope, still can't believe I ranked a six. I guess my winning against Molly really boosted me up.

"Well, I say we go out and celebrate. Al, you comin'?" Christina asks, linking her arm around Al's.

"No, you guys go ahead. I'ma crawl into bed." He says glumly.

"Come on, Al. You don't know how the Dauntless born did. You don't know anything for sure."

"I'm just not in a celebratory mood." He says looking to all of us. His eyes linger on me for a moment longer before turning to his bunk.

Christina, Will, and I all decide to get celebratory tattoos together.

"Um, Will? I need to talk to Tris about something real quick. We'll meet you at the parlor in a while, 'Kay?" I look at Christina quizzically.

"You sure?" He asks.

"Positive."

"Okay, see you there."

Christina and I watch him leave and then she drags me into a deserted hallway. She looks at me sternly and crosses her arms.

"What?" I ask confused.

"You and _Eric_?"

**I'M SORRY IT'S SO SHORT! But deal with it! Anyway, oooh... A CLIFFHANGER! I can't wait to see what happens! But this freaking author is so lazy and won't do her work, I swear I'll hunt her down and... oh wait a minute O.o Haha! Til next time! R&R PLEASE?!**


	6. Chapter 6

Tris' POV

Oh my God. How does she know?! Pull yourself together Tris. You can get through this.

"What are you talking about?" I ask nonchalantly.  
"Oh don't play dumb with me Tris Prior. I see the way you two look at each other, smiling, winking. Plus I saw you go to his apartment. You went in and you didn't come out until _much_ later and when you came into the dorm that night, you seemed happy so I know he's not threatening you or something. And I know better than to think that you're sleeping with him for a high rank in initiation. You would never do that being a former Stiff and all. So that leaves only one other option, you two are dating." She says this pointing her finger in my face.

I swat her hand away. How do I lie to a former Candor and best friend with hard facts? It's simple. You don't, I can't. "Okay, you caught us. Yes, we are dating. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, we wanted it to be a secret so that no one suspected favoritism, which he's not giving me."

She lets out a deafening squeal of excitement and traps me in a bone crushing hug. "I'm so happy for you." she squeaks in my ear.  
"So you're not mad?" I say turning blue from lack of oxygen.  
"Well, not anymore." she says letting me go.  
"Good because I don't know what I would do without you as a best friend."  
"Come on, let's go get those tattoos." she says turning on the balls of her heels, sprinting to catch up to Will.  
"Wait, Christina!" I call after her. She stops and turns around to look at me as I jog up to her. "Does anyone else know?"  
"I haven't told anyone. So, no." she shakes her head.  
"Good, I still don't want anybody to know."  
"Not even Will?"  
"No Christina." I tell her sternly.  
"Fine," she sighs, "But you owe me!"  
I roll my eyes and we run to the tattoo parlor together.

Eric's POV

I walk into the bar that I know Johnny works at. I need to talk to someone about this and I know I can trust him, he's always drunk by this time in the day so he won't remember anything anyway.

"Eric! Wus up, good buddie!" He half slurs, half yells across the bar.  
"You're drunk and I need to talk to you." I say approaching the bar.  
"Nope. Max told me that I had to stay sober during work hours."  
"And how's that working out?"  
"I- will tell you when I get back." He says as he rushes off to the bathroom. I let out a laugh at my friend's idiocy and shake my head. After ten minutes of hard vomiting, Johnny come back to his post as barkeep.

"Okay. What was it you wanted to talk to me about?" He asks popping a mint into his mouth. I'm thankful for that.  
"Can you keep a secret?" I ask.  
"You'll tell me anyway."  
"Good point. Follow me." I say exiting the bar with Johnny following suite.  
I lead him to my apartment so we can talk in peace. I open the door and he immediately plops himself on the couch.  
"Please, make yourself at home." I roll my eyes.  
"Alright, out with it." He says.  
"Okay. This goes no further than this room. Got it?"  
"Is this about that girl you were telling me about the other day?"  
"Well, sorta. It concerns her." I say perching on the edge of the table in front of the couch facing him.  
"Did you knock her up?"  
At this I smack him upside the head. "Don't be an idiot! Of course I didn't knock her up."  
"It was just a question." He says rubbing his head where I hit him.  
"Anyway, don't freak out, but the Dauntless have sided with the Erudite to declare war on Abnegation."  
"WAIT WHAT?!"  
"I told you not to freak out!"  
"Why would you...How could you...Ugh!" I let him stammer on for a while longer until he has calmed down. He walks around the room cursing my name and then it's his turn to smack me. "How, the Hell, are you gonna tell your _Abnegation girlfriend_ that you're distributing a war against her old faction?"

"I don't plan to. I'm going to try and stop it. I don't know how but I _will_ stop it."

"How can you have war with no army?"  
"The Erudite were thinking mind control. They were going to have me inject every Dauntless in the compound with a simulation serum right after the initiate's fear landscape. That would enable the Erudite to control the entire faction and turn them into mindless slaves." I don't bother mentioning the whole 'Divergent' situation.  
"Why would they want to war with Abnegation anyway?"  
"To my knowledge, the Abnegation have something that Janine Matthews wants, and she will do anything to get it."  
"What do they have?"  
"I'm not entirely sure, but my guess would be power. The Abnegation are in charge of government and if they were to disappear then that would leave the power over all factions to the taking for Erudite."  
"And how are you to stop all of this?"  
"I've not a clue, but I don't have much time."  
"How much time do you have?"  
"The attack is scheduled to begin the day after initiation ends."  
"Wow. That really doesn't leave you much time."

"No, it doesn't."

**Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated in so long but... Well, I've got nothing, I've just been lazy. I'm SORRY! Okay? Please tell me what you think, it really means a lot to me and I LOVE reading them! Thanks so much for all of you who have reviewed! Until next time! :) **


	7. Chapter 7

**I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SO SORRY! I have been very bad and haven't updated in a long time, I didn't realize how long it had been since the last update. There is no excuse for my tardiness but to make up for it, this is a super long chapter! I really hope you all like it, and PLEASE R&R! It makes me happy when you review, I try to respond to everyone who does so, Please? I think I'll let you go read now... :)**

Eric's POV

Johnny leaves my apartment later that night having to get back to work, we get nothing accomplished during that time. No plan, no strategy, nothing. I decide to drown my sorrows in alcohol, to forget about this night. I pass out somewhere around three am, I think, and wake up to an enormous

hangover. I get up, go to the medicine cabinet and pull out the aspirin and down that for the headache then suffer through a cold shower to wake me up and sharpen my senses. I get dressed and walk out of my apartment to find an annoyed Max, leaning against the wall right next to my door. He looks me up and down before speaking to me.

"Well that explains that." He says.

"What do you want?" I say grouchily.

"To catch you up on last nights events." He says, I look at him with an eyebrow raised then start walking towards the cafeteria. "An initiate in the transfer dorm, Edward I think it was, was stabbed in the eye last night."  
"In the eye?"

"With a butter knife," He nods

Ouch.

"Do you know what happened or who did it?" I ask.

"We have our suspicions about Peter, with help from one of his lackeys. Though Peter can tell a convincing lie, the other one... not so much."  
"Okay. I'll talk to them or something." I say as I enter the cafeteria.

"Oh, and one more thing," Max says before parting, "Edward and, what's her name, Myra, they quit. They'll leave tomorrow when Edward is released from the emergency room."

I nod and walk towards an empty table in the back of the room where the noise isn't as loud and do a quick scan of the area. Only half of the initiates are in here. Edward and Myra are gone of course, and four Dauntless born. Peter and Drew now just walking in, Peter with his head held high and Drew looking a little guilty. I scoff silently to myself and turn my attention back to my bran muffin. Through all of that there was one thing that caught my attention and worries me a little.

Tris wasn't there.

Just then, I see three of the four missing Dauntless born initiates enter the room and find a seat with the others. Then I see Zeke and his little brother Uriah enter the room along with Tris. Her usual curly, flowing blond hair was now tangled and standing up in almost every direction, looking like someone had rubbed her head with a balloon. Her stormy-blue eyes alight with the rush of adrenaline as she runs up to where her friends are sitting and is immediately bombarded with questions as to where she was. I can't help but stare, she is so beautiful when she is awake like this. I'd give anything to see that look of pure adrenaline and happiness on her face.

I've been staring too long and she notices. When one of her friends starts telling a story, she glances over at me and I grin. She waves a little and turns her attention back to her friends.

XxXxPage BreakxXxX

Later that day starts stage two and I get to watch the initiates squirm. Say what you want but I find the emotion of fear fascinating. I make my way to my office where I have screens set up, one to watch the room where the simulation takes place and one to watch the actual simulation. Being a Dauntless leader, and supposed 'Divergent hunter', it is my job to observe the simulations. It's fun watching the initiates' reaction to the simulation. Actually it was just fun watching Four get punched in the gut by multiple initiates. Glad I didn't have to administer the simulations. Most of them go by quickly, others take about an hour or so. I finally get to the one simulation I've been waiting for.

Tris.

She walks into the room and abruptly stops, slamming her back against Four's chest. He smiles a little and puts a hand on her arm and whispers something to her then leads her to the reclining chair. It's not hard to notice her shaking hands as she touches one to her forehead before she sits down. She starts talking to Four, probably about the simulation, then he brushes his fingers against her neck and her body tenses. Even though I know he did that just to move her hair, I don't like him touching her so much. I can't believe I'm starting to become jealous of Four... again.

He starts explaining how stage two works then injects Tris with the serum. He places his hands on either side of her face and leans close to her. It looks like he was going to kiss her but instead he whispers something to her. Okay, I _really_ don't like him being that close to her. I'm about to storm out of my office to the simulation room and punch him in the face but Tris' simulation starts and I'm instantly glued to the screen.

Tris stands in an open field surrounded by nothing but the bile-colored sky above her. Suddenly a bird swoops down landing on her shoulder. She bats her hand at it and shakes her shoulder trying to get rid of it but it doesn't move, just digges it's talons deeper into her arm. She lets out a scream of frustration before a huge flock of birds come over head, almost like she summoned them. I realize now that these birds are crows. The crows swoop down and start attacking Tris. She falls into the tall grass and thrashes around trying to keep the birds off of her, with no success. She screams for help and sobs hopelessly. There are so many birds surrounding her you can't even see her under the mob. I start to wonder if this is really one of my fear simulations. Seeing Tris being hurt like this and I can't help her, it's scaring the hell out of me. This is torture.

Again, I'm about to go stop the simulation and save Tris, and myself, from this torture but the simulation stops. Tris is brushing off her arms as though the feathers are still there and Four goes to comfort her but she pushes him away. I look at my watch, she was in there for three minutes. It felt like eternity. I finally get to rush out of my office and go to the simulation room. I want to make sure Tris was okay but when I get to the simulation room door, Four comes out hauling Tris towards the transfer dorms. Pulling her enough to make her follow him but not enough to hurt her. Luckily they don't see me so I decide to follow them. When they are about a hundred yards away from the dorm when Tris stops, pulling her arm free from Four's grip and starts yelling at him.

"Why did you do that to me? What was the point of that, huh? I wasn't aware that when I chose Dauntless, I was signing up for weeks of torture!" She says.

"Did you think overcoming cowardice would be easy?" Four says calmly.

"That isn't overcoming cowardice! Cowardice is how you decide to be in real life, and in real life, I'm not getting pecked to death by crows, Four!" She presses her palms to her face and sob into them.

Oh how I want to go over there and wrap her in my arms and comfort her, but I can't. Not with Four around. It only takes her a few seconds to pull herself together and face him again.

"I want to go home." she says almost inaudible.

"Learning in the midst of fear is a lesson that everyone, even your Stiff family, need to learn. That's what we're trying to teach you. If you can't learn it, you'll need to get the hell out of here, because we won't want you." Damn, Four. Harsh. But true.

"I'm _trying_. But I failed. I'm failing." she says, bottom lip quivering.

Four sighs, "How long do you think you spent in that hallucination, Tris?"

"I don't know, a half hour?"

I smirk to myself.

"Three minutes," he replies. "You got out three times faster than the other initiates. Whatever you are, you're not a failure." He smiles a little before going on. "Tomorrow you'll be better at this. You'll see."

"Tomorrow?" Tris asks a little frightened.

He places a hand on her back and leads her toward the dormitory. Again with the touching? What's this guy's problem?

"What was your first hallucination?" She asks. Actually, I'd like to know the answer this one, too.

"It wasn't a 'what' so much as a 'who,'" He shrugs. "It's not important." I wonder who he's afraid of. I hope it's me. I know it's not, but a guy can dream?

"Are you over that fear now?" Tris asks.

"Not yet." They reach the door to the dormitory, and he leans against the wall casually, sliding his hands in his pockets. "I may never be."

"So they don't go away?" she asks.

"Sometimes they do. And sometimes new fears replace them. But becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it, _that's_ the point."

I remember the old instructor from my initiation, Amar, saying something like that to me after_ my_ first fear simulation. I punched him in the gut and asked him why he did that to me. He told me that I had to learn how to control my fear, but never rid of it. That fear is what drives us to fight for what's important. Whether it be our own lives or the lives of someone else.

"Anyway," Four continues, "your fears are rarely what they appear to be in the simulation,"

"What do you mean?" Tris asks confused.

"Well, are you really afraid of crows?" He's smiling at her. I don't like the way he's smiling at her. "When you see one, do you run away screaming?"

"No, I guess not." she steps closer to him and leans against the wall, tilting her head to the side to look at him. "So what am I really afraid of?"

"I don't know," he says "Only you can know."

She nods slowly. "I didn't know becoming Dauntless would be this difficult."

"It wasn't like this, I'm told," he shrugs. "Being Dauntless, I mean."

"What changed?"  
"The leadership. The person who controls training sets the standard of Dauntless behavior. Six years ago Max and the other leaders changed the training methods to make them more competitive and more brutal, said it was supposed to test people's strength. And that changed the priorities of Dauntless as a whole. Bet you can't guess who the leader's new protégé is." Holy shit, he's trying to turn her against me. Does he know about us, our relationship?  
Tris' eyes brighten a bit when she thinks of me, I hope. This small act is heart warming.

"So if you were ranked first in your initiate class, what was Eric's?" she asks.

"Second."

"So he was their second choice for leadership?"

"What makes you say that?" he says cocking his head to the side.

"The way he was acting at dinner the first night. Jealous, even though he has what he wants."

Hmm, she really paid attention to me that first night. A minute passes by before either one of them speaks again and it is Tris who speaks first.  
"Do I look like I've been crying?" she sniffles.

"Hmm." He leans forward and he's so close to her face, he smiles. My blood boils. I. Don't. Like. Him. That. Close. And neither does Tris, she stiffens and I know she's uncomfortable. "No Tris, you look tough as nails." With that, he's off to the simulation room once more.

Tris lets out a breath of relief and I approach her. I walk up behind her so quietly and put my mouth next to her ear without touching her, my hands behind my back.

"Hey, stranger."

She jumps and squeaks, her eyes big and full of shock. Her breaths come out unsteady, she places a hand to her chest closing her eyes. I smile way too big.

"You scared me." she murmurs.

"I see that."

She smiles and I stride slowly toward her, snaking my arm around her waist. "Are you okay? I know you had your fear simulation today."_ I didn't listen in on your conversation with Four. Nope, not me._

"I'll be fine." She sighs then nods.

I pull her to my chest and hold her tightly. "It gets better as you go along, trust me." I whisper into her hair and kiss the top of her head, I feel her smile against my chest.

The smile disappears as soon as it forms. "Eric, I have to tell you something." she says pulling away from my embrace, still at arms length. Oh, crap. Did Four get to her?

"What is it?" I ask full of cautious curiosity. She takes a deep breath.

"Christina knows about us." she says quietly. I cock my head to the side. "She saw me go into your apartment and she's been watching us carefully. She figured it out."

"Oh. Does anybody else know?"

"No, just her. I asked her not to tell."

"Well, if that's it." I lean down and kiss her full on the mouth. She runs her fingers through my hair to bring me closer and deepen the kiss, I tighten my hold on her waist. She pulls away.

"I should go." she says.

"Yeah, as should I." I frown. Then an idea hits me. "Will you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Meet me tonight in my apartment?"

"Sure, Eric." she says with a shy smile as I let her go.

"Oh, and dress warmly." I call after her. She turns around and looks at me quizzically. I give her a reassuring smile and she walks into the dorm.

***Disclaimer: I do NOT own Tris and Four's conversation, only Eric's internal monologues in between. I didn't really want to re-write their conversation since it was perfect in the book so... I also do not own Divergent.**


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